Singaporean ants like iPods… in Fiji.
posted September 7th 2005 12:15PM
File under "news of the friggin' weird," and get out your maps because this tale involves ants from Singapore, a
traveler from New Zealand, and an airport in Fiji. The dude purchased an iPod at Fiji's Nadi Airport
(vending machine?) and upon arriving home in Auckland,
discovered that 50 live Singaporean ants were living it up inside the iPod's packaging. Apparently, Singaporean ants
are extremely aggressive insects that prey on other insects and eat through fabric, plastic and wiring, although there
seems to be a conscpicuous dearth of information on them via the interwebs. Anywho, the ants are more residential pest
than human health risk, but we doubt New Zealand is terribly thrilled about their introduction to the country as iPod
stowaways.
[Via
iLounge]
Sounds like a re-telling of the old urban legend -
http://www.snopes.com/toxins/bananas.htm
"...This piece seems to be a twist on the usual "beware of shipments from foreign places" legend type, although the usual agents of death in those tales are venomous creatures (such as snakes, spiders, and insects) who become stowaways when the crates of fruit are shipped to the USA and then emerge to attack unsuspecting grocery shoppers..."
so just because its an ipod packaging its making news? LAME
Well pete, I might be inclined to at least give that urban legend enough credence to acknowledge the possibility of such. I used to work for Trader Joe's market, and one morning I was stocking Bananas from equador and I chanced to notice a curled up leaf...
Or so I thought...
Upon closer inspection I discovered it was actually the carapace of a HUGE spider. I don't know if it was dangerous in life, but it sure looked wicked in death (all chitin and hair and spines and legs...). It wasn't *quite* trantula size, but it was bigger than anything you commonly find in northern california. It was obviously quite dead, so I used some chop sticks to pick it for further examination.
Which is when I noticed it was CRAWLING with babies.
Since I was standing right next to a freshly prepared and scalding hot mop bucket (which had been impregnated with soap and bleach) I just dropped the whole mess right in and presumably killed them all.
All in all I don't know how likely it is that an adult of whatever hideous species that was could survive being shipped, stored, gassed (as most bananas are to hasten ripening) and refridgerated. But the babies certainly did (probably because they only hatched AFTER all that other trauma). They were none too frightening, but in the long run, I think an unsuspecting shopper could pick one or two up and end up with an infestation in their house a few weeks or months down the road (depending on the species of course) whereupon they might pose a danger.
I don't know...the larger insects tend to actually have less potent venom because they simply overpower their prey rather than poisen them (with some exceptions of course) , but I think it is within the realm of possibility...
Just my $0.02
Slimier (and similar) story -
I dropped some jelly from a PB and J on the latch of my Powerbook. Besides a sticky latch, all was well until yesterday, whne I popped it open and ANTS CAME OUT.
Similarly, I once had a maggot climb out of an old Nokia phone.
I'm gross!
Most ants that you see are males. The females are distinctive. Even if Singaporean ants have been introduced to New Zealand this way, they won't be reproducing.
New Zealand is desperately trying to hang on to it's "Clean Green" image amidst the onslaught of personal globalisation. In the last few years we have seen the Varroa mite arrive a take a heavy toll on our bee keeping industry, the Australia continues to refuse to allow our apples to be sold in there (a large market for us) due to fire blight, and most recently the arrival on our shores of the painted apple moth, which is another nasty pest ironically originating in Australia.
In the case of the painted apple moth there has been a controversial aerial spraying programme for the last 5 years over the western districts of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. The cost of the spray programme, and the health related costs that arise from this programme are considerable, especially for a small country such as ours.
The most difficult aspect of the problem is that a creature or plant in its home country is usually in balance in that eco-system. The same organism in another eco-system can take a dominant role and overwhelm the local species. A point in case is the Opossum. This animal is, I think, a protected species in Australia. In New Zealand it has serious impact on our native trees and is the subject of a heavy and expensive eradication programme.
Having said all that this is still a beautiful country and well worth a visit.
And you iPod fanboys all bitch about a worm in the Zen's...
I used to live in Singapore and once discovered a small river of angry ants that were coming through a window and traversing a long stretch of floor in order to chip away at some soap scum in the shower and carry it back out with them.
Then there was the fungus/mold that thrived on CDs and destroyed all my floppies - along with whatever drive they were put into.
If you think about it all ipod packages are infested with dangerous insects, the ipods them selves, they suck away your life, your friends, your connection to the outside world. I have seen people break down and cry just because they have to leave it at a repair shop for 2 days, poor bastards.
Ray is correct that most ants cannot reproduce. However most are indeed _female_ workers, but you need a queen to make more ants. Although a grown queen is often distinctive looking, a young queen may or may not stand out from the workers, depending on the species. A large group of ants inside a box like that may very well include a queen. Google "monomorium destructor" for more info about this tramp ant species.
"so just because its an ipod packaging its making news? LAME" -Daryl
So where does it say this in the Engadget article? I can't see where it says they posted this story because it involved an iPod. Can you point out where it is?
It's a shame that Apple is actually selling a product that is doing extremely well, otherwise we'd see less of these postings.